


Connecting the Dots

by RamenKitsune



Category: Free!
Genre: Adorable nonsense really, Art, Confession, Cute, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-13
Updated: 2017-04-13
Packaged: 2018-10-18 09:56:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,978
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10614525
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RamenKitsune/pseuds/RamenKitsune
Summary: Haru realizes he is in love with Makoto as he draws on him.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Hi! This is just a cute little one shot. Hope you enjoy.

Haruka had always hated winters. They were cold and swimming outdoors in the sun was completely impossible. That being said, there were perks he guessed. Like how Makoto would come over when the snow piled up and they’d spend the whole day together doing nothing of importance. Today was one of those types of days. It was nicer than normal, maybe because it showed Haru how just because they were in Tokyo now they were still best friend, that nothing in their relationship had changed even though everything else had. Makoto had been really good at balancing school and being with Haru, and, even if he didn’t verbally express it, Haru was grateful for moments like this, where they were just relaxed in Haru’s living room. Makoto was on the floor with his nose in a book while Haru was sprawled across the couch simply watching the way the light played in Makoto’s hair and across his skin. Makoto looked good in the sun, or so Haru thought, it brought out his freckles that were hinted at on the base of his neck and kissed across the bridge of his nose. Haru was well aware of the countless caramel colored specks that littered Makoto’s shoulders and down his back and chest. Sun kisses, his grandmother had once called them, and Haru thought of no one more fitted to be kissed by the sun than Makoto.

“Take your shirt off.” Breaking the silence after such a long stretch seemed to startle Makoto, or maybe it was the request itself Haru wasn’t sure, but the way Makoto’s back stiffened mildly amused Haru. Or maybe it was the tint of pink that started at the top of Makoto’s ear. Makoto turned to look at Haru as he sat up, eyes questioning. “I wanna draw on you.” Haru answered the unspoken question before he left the room to get a few markers. Haru didn’t know why he was doing this, but it had been something he had wanted to do for a while. Makoto was a beautiful canvas; his wide shoulders and bare back were just made for Haru’s markers.

Makoto looked awkward scrunched up with his shirt pulled close to his chest, though Haru didn’t think much of it as he slipped back onto the couch and opened his pencil bag before he reached out and ran his fingers lightly over Makoto’s upper back. Makoto squirmed a little and Haru could feel the pull of Makoto’s muscles under his fingertips. He didn’t know why his heart started beating faster, but it did, but he chalked it up to excitement to draw and grabbed a black marker. 

“Lean back.” Haru ordered and Makoto complied. “You can still read if you want, just don’t move much.” And with nothing else to say he got to work.

Makoto jerked a little when the tip of the marker touched his skin, but he muttered an apology and relaxed against the couch much like he had before Haru decided to draw. Haru’s marker passed from freckle to freckle as he drew a poppy flower, and he idly thought of the coloring books he and Makoto would share when they were children. Connect the dots where always Makoto’s favorite, probably because he wasn’t as skilled at drawing, but Haru just now could see the joy of it. Flower after flower began to fill the top and back of Makoto’s right shoulder, and Haru paused to pick a thinner maker for detailing. Makoto had always liked flowers, and with such sun kissed skin they looked very in place on Makoto.

“Haru-chan.” Makoto’s voice was soft, and Haru hummed he was listening. “Why did you want to do this?” Haru didn’t stop drawing as he thought over the question.

He didn’t really know what had first formed the idea in his mind, though he remembered it started one day by the pool. Makoto was talking to Nagisa and Rei and his back was to Haru. It was rare Haru got to see Makoto’s back like this, he remembered thinking, and part of him felt irritated that he just now got to really appreciate Makoto’s back like this. It was as he took in the details of it that he thought of adding art to it, but the reasoning was vague to him now.

“Because.” He finally answered and Makoto’s breathy laugh made Haru smile as he changed markers back. The answer was just to cut the tension, but as he began to draw an orca over the vast space between Makoto’s shoulder blades he pondered it more and more. He guessed it was abnormal to want to draw on people, and Makoto was the only person he really wanted to. Sure his other friends had nice bodies, and maybe even better complexions to work on since the freckles did add problems for coloring, but Haru would always have picked Makoto. It was more than just space too; sure he had the largest back and that was a bonus, but Haru felt like he’d still choose Makoto if he were more narrow. It was just… because he was Makoto. He never felt the same about Makoto as he did everyone else. He cared about his other friends, but Makoto was just different. Makoto was Haru’s constant, Haru’s stabilizer in this confusing world, without Makoto Haru couldn’t help that life would be meaningless.

Haru’s hand froze at that thought. He still remembered the word meaningless being used to explain a life without himself in it, the night he had almost lost Makoto forever. Haru tired to never think about that night, but in that moment the words from that night finally hit him in full force. ‘It’s meaningless without you.’ That’s what Makoto had said to him, and at the time Haru had thought he was only talking about swimming and their team, but what if he had meant more?

“Haru, is everything okay?” Makoto’s voice startled him out of his thoughts and nodded before realizing that was useless since Makoto’s back was to him. 

“Yes.” He answered and worked on different fish to fill the space with the whale as his thoughts picked up where they left off. 

Of course Makoto had meant more than just swimming and the team, Haru knew that then in a way because Makoto had said it before hadn’t he? That he loved them both as different things, Haru and swimming. Though the idea of being loved by Makoto when they were in middle school and what it meant now were different feelings for Haru. Both filled him with warmth, but now the idea filled Haru with something more, something words couldn’t describe, or at least Haru couldn’t find the words. He had always loved Makoto, always wanted him safe and wanted to protect him from any and every fear that he had, but now that he thought of it, really thought of it, it was different too. Different in the sense of any other friendship he had, different from Rin, from Nagisa and Rei, from everyone he had ever met. This love had always existed, but it also grew and changed into something more. 

“Makoto.” 

“Yes Haru?” Makoto sounded at peace, comfortable with the felt tip passing over his smooth skin.

“Don’t move.”

“Did I? I’m so….”

“You didn’t, but you will, so don’t.” Haru knew he was confusing Makoto, but he didn’t want to make a mistake that would mar what he was working on. 

“O-okay Haru, I promise I won’t move.” Makoto sounded firm and Haru believed him. The silence washed over them again as Haru finished the finer details on the little gold fish he was working on and once the cap was back on his fine point marker and he moved to draw more fish, he took a deep breath and started.

“Remember when we had the training camp?” Haru asked, his voice calm as always regardless of his fluttering heart. Makoto’s back tensed a little, and that was all the answer Haru needed. “After… you know… when we were on the beach,” Haru hated thinking about pulling Makoto from the ocean, hated how scared he had been. Makoto hummed softly that he knew what Haru was talking about, not that Haru thought he wouldn’t. “It’s the same for me… Everything being meaningless without you, I feel like that too.” Talking about things of this nature was abnormal for Haru, but he didn’t hate doing it like he normally did. Not when it involved Makoto because Makoto was worth it, Makoto was worth it all. 

“Haru can you stop drawing?” Makoto asked, and though Haru didn’t want to stop drawing nor did he know why Makoto would ask him to, he relented and as soon as the cap was firmly on the marker Makoto turned to face him. Haru realized he wasn’t scared of what Makoto had to say, even if he hadn’t meant what Haru thought he meant, Haru still meant what he said. Makoto was hard to read past his nervousness, but Haru waited for him to say what he needed to say. “What… What do you mean by that?” there was a tone of hope in Makoto’s voice, though it was mostly hesitant, like he thought Haru still hadn’t realized what he had meant then. Haru’s gaze moved from those green eyes that reflected worry to his lap where he twisted the marker between his fingers. 

“I mean I never want to be without you.” Haru said firmly. “That you are the most important person in my life.” He should have told Makoto this a million times, but he had always assumed Makoto just knew how important he was to him. Makoto would never have thought so highly of himself though, Haru realized. Makoto’s modesty would keep him from accepting the truth just off of assumptions. Haru would have to make it perfectly clear so there was never a misunderstanding between them on this topic. With a deep breath he met Makoto’s gaze again, and even though Makoto’s eyes widened Haru wasn’t detoured. “I love you.” 

Makoto’s gasp to this confession was endearing as well as annoying to Haru, but he didn’t hold it against Makoto. He just watched as the words sank in and Makoto’s emotions bubble to the surface through his facial expressions. Haru rarely thought of things as cute, but Makoto was defiantly in that category as his cheek turned red and his lips first parted in shock then slowly formed a smile. Haru didn’t need Makoto to say anything, not with how clearly he felt the same, but when Makoto wrapped his arms around him and pulled him into his bare torso Haru felt his face flush.

“I love you too Haru-chan.” The words were breathy against Haru’s ear and Haru knew Makoto had started to cry, though this was a good type of crying. Haru wrapped his arms around Makoto, relaxing in the embrace. He hadn’t needed Makoto to say it, but that didn’t change how wonderful it was to hear it.

 

… Bonus! …

Haru snickered as he watched Makoto twist and turn in a desperate attempt to see all of the details Haru had drawn on his skin. Makoto had already gushed over the flowers, but all of Haru’s efforts had really poured into the ocean scene. The confession still had both unusually giddy, not that Haru was complaining, but he had somehow managed to let Makoto to finish his project. 

“It’s beautiful Haru-chan.” Makoto said once again. Haru had lost count of his complements over it. 

“Drop the chan.” He said. “I can take a picture with your phone so you can see it better.” He offered. Makoto nodded egarly and Haru went to get the little device that was on his coffee table to make his boyfriend happy, or happier.


End file.
